The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-10-07
FREE.TRADE FIGHTS.

Seldom, if ever. has the trite maxim
that History repeats ITSELF been
more sharply demonstrated than in the
clamor for free trade which followed
our recent war for the perpetuation Of
the Union, and that which. moro in
tensely and promptly. was evinced
after crushing the earlier secession. OF.
- 1t was called. qualification move
mt" in 1882
In both cases there was . large Gn-
plus revenue above the ordinary re-
quirements for Government expendi-
ture; in both cases there was . rapid
payment of the public debt. which had
then been enormously swelled by the
| cost of our then recent war with En-
gland. rs it was in our time expanded
by the expenditure to suppress the re-
bellion; in both cases there was wide
spread fear that, when the public debt
should have been paid off and the out
let of said debt provided for. the sur
plus revenue destroyed. the accumula-
ton in the Government vaults would
be demoralizing to officials and mis-
chievous by withdrawing and with
holding money from the requirements
of commerce; and in both a clamor,
more or less intensified by British in
terests. was raised for a reduction OF
the tariff.
In his yearly message of December
8. 1888. while protective policy yet
| prevailed, President Jackson gleefully
/ wrote as follows:
| ''Peace reigns within our borders;
abundance browns the labors of our
fields; commerce and domestic indus
try flourish and increase. and individu-
al happiness rewards the private
virtue and enterprise of our citizens
Our condition abroad is no
less honorable than it is ut home.
Providence permits me to
meet you at another session l shall
have the high qualification of an
nouncing to you that the National
debt is extinguished.
And Providence did not only 50 per-
nit, but enabled the Government to
distribute many millions of surplus ac-
cumulations, nOminally as loan. but
actually as gift to the various States.
Could human power more graphically
delineate the blessings of protective
tariff policy than the foregoing?
But alas for the perversity Of
humanity. At the time when the old
hero was penning the message above
referred to a law enacted nine months
before and by him approved was on
the statute books. ordering the death
Of the bird which had not only laid
such precious eggs. but Matched them
and brought the offspring to vigorous
maturity. Said law provided for be-
ginning to reduce the protection to
American labor December 31st. 1888.
Gust four weeks later than the date
of President Jackson's message) and
providing for the entire but gradual
withdrawal of such protection so that
Free Trade should be inaugurated June
3Oth. 1912.
How that cruel law resulted is
graphically narrated by President
Tyler, who in his yearly message Of
December Z, 1912. said. in reference to
a futile attempt to borrow the paltry
sum of $4,000, 900, authorized the pre-
vious year:
lit became the duty Of the Executive
to resort to every expedient in its
power TO negotiate the authorized
loan. After failure to do so in the
American market citizen of high
character and talent was sent to Eu-
rope with no better success, and thus
the notifying spectacle was pre-
sented of the inability of this Govern
ment to obtain a loan so small at a
time when the Governments of Europe,
although involved in deb: and with
their subjects heavily burdened with
taxation. readily obtained loans to any
amount and at greatly reduced rate
of interest"
Such experience naturally opened
the eyes of honest Free Traders. Pro-
lection was again inaugurated. and
only one year thereafter President
Tyler was enabled triumphantly to
say in his annual message. December
5. 1S43:
1--WE have new cause for the e1.
preston of our gratitude fof |
the renewed activity which has been
impaired to commerce. for tie in. |
creased rewards attendant on the ex.
erc;se of the mechanical arts. for the |
continued growth of our population.
and the rapidly-reviving prosperity Of
the whole country"
A year later President Tyler was still |
more jubilant. He wrote, December !
8, 1874. in his annual message to Con-
gress as follows:
1.-The credit of the Government,
which has experienced a temporary
has been thoroughly
restored. Its Golfers. which for a sea-
son were empty, have been repien-
ished. Commerce and manufacture,
which had suffered in common with
every other interest. have once more
revived, and the whole country exhib-
its an aspect of prosperity and happi-
ness"
1t would seem. after 50 exhaustive a
test of the comparative merits of Pro-
lection and Free Trade, that the latter
would be as fully consigned to execrs-